What Is a Gray Jedi and How Do They Differ from Traditional Jedi?

1. What Is a Gray Jedi?

The term “Gray Jedi” had two primary meanings. First, it referred to Force users who navigated the balance between the light and dark sides of the Force without fully succumbing to the dark side. Second, it described Jedi who distanced themselves from the Jedi High Council and operated outside the traditional Jedi Code. True Gray Jedi met both criteria and did not adhere to any specific Force tradition. An example of a Gray Jedi is Jolee Bindo, a former Jedi Padawan who served the Old Republic. While the term didn’t always imply the use of both light- and dark-side abilities, some Gray Jedi could wield both. Similar to the term “Dark Jedi,” it was not exclusive to former Jedi but applied to any Force user.

At times, the term also described Jedi who were seen as unorthodox or dissident, failing to meet the strict expectations of the Jedi Order. For instance, Qui-Gon Jinn was often considered a Gray Jedi by some in the Order due to his disagreements with the Jedi High Council. A group of rogue Jedi, known as the Gray Paladins, also adopted the term to describe themselves. They believed in minimal reliance on the Force and favored using blasters, yet they still adhered to most aspects of the Jedi Code.

The origins of the term trace back to the Old Sith Wars, when the Jedi High Council sought to consolidate their power and centralize the Order. Some Jedi believed that the Council lacked the authority to reinterpret the Jedi Code and felt their loyalty should lie solely with the Force. These early Gray Jedi clashed with the Council over changes to the Code, such as restrictions on attachment and limitations on training. During this time, Gray Jedi were often associated with a distinct style of robe, with Bindo wearing a variation of this attire. In later years, the term Gray Jedi was used by the New Jedi Order to describe entire Force traditions that diverged from traditional Jedi views but did not embrace the dark side. Two examples of such groups were the Jensaarai and the Imperial Knights.

2. Is the Gray Jedi Code Canon?

The term “Gray Jedi” is not considered canon. Following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, a department known as the Lucasfilm Story Group was established to oversee the canon and timeline of the Star Wars franchise after its partial reboot prior to The Force Awakens. Pablo Hidalgo, a Star Wars Lore Advisor, has repeatedly confirmed that Gray Jedi are not part of the official canon. The term persists largely because fans lack an official term to describe Force-sensitives who align with the traits of Gray Jedi.

In Legends, the term “Gray Jedi” is still in use. However, regarding the concept of balancing the Light and Dark sides of the Force, the Lucasfilm Story Group firmly states that using both sides does not create balance. Instead, they emphasize that tapping into the Dark Side inherently prevents balance, as the Dark Side is fundamentally corruptive and destructive.

3. What Are the Characteristics and Powers of a Gray Jedi?

Gray Jedi were unique in their relationship with the Force, as they utilized the dark side without succumbing to its corruption or fully embracing it. In fact, many Gray Jedi actively opposed those who aligned themselves with the dark side. For example, Jolee Bindo fought against the Sith Empire during the Great Sith War and the Jedi Civil War. While they often rejected strict adherence to the light side, Gray Jedi remained free from the corruption associated with the dark side. Those who were fully consumed by the dark side or who fell to it and were later redeemed were not considered Gray Jedi. However, some Jedi believed that Gray Jedi harbored traces of the dark side’s influence, even if they were unaware of it. Notably, the term did not apply to Force users who denied the existence of the dark side, such as followers of the Potentium.

Gray Jedi displayed proficiency in both light- and dark-side Force techniques, often mastering skills common to both Jedi and Sith while developing unique talents. For instance, Jolee Bindo excelled at Jedi mind tricks and employed dark-side powers like Force lightning. The Voss Mystics were skilled healers and seers, renowned for their prophetic visions, although they had no control over when these visions occurred. The Jensaarai could mask their presence in the Force to evade detection and used a rare form of Force throw that hurled objects with near-lethal velocity. Similarly, the Imperial Knights, trained in martial and Force skills, demonstrated abilities like telekinesis, self-levitation, and mind tricks while donning cortosis-infused armor for combat.

Other Gray Jedi utilized specialized Force Powers, such as Ionize, which destroyed machines, and Force thrust, a powerful telekinetic attack similar to Force push. Despite this versatility, using both light- and dark-side abilities did not automatically classify someone as a Gray Jedi. For instance, Mace Windu, a staunch champion of the Jedi Order, used Vaapad—a lightsaber form that drew on the dark side—without compromising his commitment to the light. Similarly, Kyle Katarn, a Jedi of the New Jedi Order, encouraged his students to view Force powers as tools, blending light- and dark-side techniques like Force lightning and Electric Judgment while remaining loyal to the light side.

This balance of skills and philosophies highlighted the nuanced and complex nature of the Gray Jedi, distinguishing them from both the Jedi and Sith.

4. What Is the Gray Jedi Code?

The Gray Jedi Code served as the guiding mantra for all who followed the path of the Gray Jedi, akin to the Jedi and Sith Codes. It was authored by Leor Danal, the first Kage of the order, who claimed to have received its inspiration during a vision experienced in a Force Trance.

5. How Did Gray Jedi Interact with the Jedi High Council?

The term “Gray Jedi” often referred to Force users who balanced the light and dark sides, but it was also used for Jedi who chose to operate independently of the Jedi High Council. This association began during the Old Republic era, a time when the Council sought to consolidate its authority. Jedi who frequently opposed the Council’s directives were sometimes labeled as Gray, even if they remained firmly aligned with the light side of the Force. For instance, around 44 BBY, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was considered a Gray Jedi by some within the Order due to his consistent defiance of the Council’s will.

Some Jedi openly identified as “gray” despite holding views that aligned with the Council’s stance on the dark side. The Teepo Paladins, a group of Jedi removed from the Order for advocating the use of diverse weaponry, including blasters, gave rise to a splinter group called the Gray Paladins. This group embraced a militaristic lifestyle and promoted minimal reliance on the Force, setting themselves apart from both the Jedi Order and their Teepo predecessors. However, their divergence was not always recognized by outsiders; for example, the Jedi Hunter Aurra Sing saw Gray Paladins as no different from regular Jedi.

Unorthodox Jedi, including those labeled as Gray Jedi, often faced barriers to leadership within the Order. The High Council, which selected its own members, preferred candidates who upheld its traditionalist values. Qui-Gon Jinn, for instance, was passed over for a Council position in favor of more conventional Jedi like Plo Koon and Ki-Adi-Mundi, whose philosophies aligned closely with the Council’s.

These dynamics reveal the challenges faced by Jedi who questioned the Order’s norms, blurring the line between reformers and those walking a path truly independent of light or dark.

6. Examples of Gray Jedi

6.1 Jolee Bindo

Jolee Bindo was a Human male Jedi who lived around 4000 BBY. During his youth, Bindo developed a romantic relationship with a Human female mercenary named Nayama and broke the Jedi Code by marrying her. This violation inspired the term “pulling a Bindo.” Recognizing Nayama’s strong connection to the Force, Bindo attempted to train her, despite still being a Padawan himself.

When the Sith Lord Exar Kun sparked the Great Sith War, Nayama urged Bindo to join Kun’s Brotherhood of the Sith. Bindo refused, and Nayama, having fallen to the dark side, attacked him. Forced to confront her, Bindo defeated Nayama in combat but couldn’t bring himself to end her life. She later killed many Jedi during the war, ultimately meeting her end in the final battle on Yavin 4.

After the war, Bindo was brought before the Jedi Council to assess his role in Nayama’s descent and his future in the Order. The Council forgave him of any wrongdoing and offered to promote him to the rank of Jedi Knight. However, burdened by guilt and disillusioned with the Order’s judgment, Bindo chose to leave the Jedi entirely.

He spent years as a smuggler in the Outer Rim Territories before crashing on Kashyyyk, where he lived in self-imposed exile. During the Jedi Civil War, Bindo encountered Revan in the Shadowlands of Kashyyyk and joined him in the fight against the Sith Lord Darth Malak. For his role in defeating the Sith Empire, Bindo was awarded the Cross of Glory. A self-described Gray Jedi, Bindo rejected the extremes of both the Jedi and the Sith, embodying a philosophy of independence and balance.

6.2 The Jensaarai

The Jensaarai were a group of Force users from the Suarbi system who emerged during the Clone Wars, drawing inspiration from the teachings of Larad Noon, a Sith from the era of the Old Sith Wars. The order was founded by Nikkos Tyris, a fallen Jedi, and their philosophy blended elements of Sith and Jedi traditions. Despite this fusion, the Jensaarai retained the discipline needed to avoid succumbing to the dark side, focusing primarily on defensive tactics and Force abilities.

Following Tyris’s death at the hands of Jedi Nejaa Halcyon, leadership passed to his apprentice, a Human woman known as the Saarai-kaar. However, she lacked the knowledge to fully comprehend the advanced dark-side teachings Tyris had studied. Instead, she taught what she understood, prioritizing community defense and the avoidance of direct conflict. This approach unintentionally steered the Jensaarai away from darkness.

Initially, the Saarai-kaar and her followers viewed the Jedi as an external threat, partly due to the aggressive actions of Halcyon’s strike team. Over time, however, the Jensaarai reconciled with the New Jedi Order after the fall of the Galactic Empire. They even sent students to train at Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. While some members’ practices led both the Jedi and the Sith to classify the Jensaarai as Gray Jedi, the order itself publicly rejected this label.

6.3 The Imperial Knights

The Imperial Knights were an order of Force users who pledged their loyalty to the Emperor of the Fel Empire. Fully trained in the ways of the Force, they rejected the dark side, unlike other Force-based groups in Emperor Palpatine’s Galactic Empire, such as the Prophets of the Dark Side. In contrast to the Jedi, who emphasized meditation and introspection, the Imperial Knights took a more pragmatic approach to the Force. They viewed it as a powerful tool that demanded respect and careful handling.

While they did not embrace the dark side, the Imperial Knights followed the light side in an indirect manner, through their loyalty to the Emperor. As a result, they were considered “Gray” by the Jedi Order. During the Second Imperial Civil War, around 137 ABY, the Imperial Knights formed alliances with both the Galactic Alliance Remnant and the Jedi Council to fight against Darth Krayt’s Galactic Empire.

7. Is Ahsoka Tano A Gray Jedi?

While many fans have speculated about characters who could be considered Gray Jedi, Ahsoka Tano is frequently mentioned in these discussions. However, despite some compelling arguments, Ahsoka is not a Gray Jedi.

Ahsoka was trained by Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars, but her relationship with the Jedi Order changed dramatically when she was wrongfully framed for bombing the Jedi Temple. The Jedi Council’s failure to defend her left Ahsoka feeling deeply betrayed. Even after Anakin proved her innocence, she chose not to return to the Order, believing the Council’s unwillingness to admit its mistakes revealed fundamental flaws in their leadership.

Throughout her time in the Clone Wars, Ahsoka witnessed the strict and often misguided doctrines of the Jedi Order. Realizing that their rigid views no longer aligned with her own beliefs, Ahsoka ultimately decided to leave the Order and chart her own path.

However, Ahsoka never embraced the Dark Side or any moral ambiguity commonly associated with Gray Jedi. Instead, she chose to fight for the light in her own way. After going into hiding from the Empire, Ahsoka became a key figure in the Rebel Alliance, working in secret with figures like Bail Organa to undermine the Empire. In Star Wars Rebels, she reveals herself as an active member of the Rebellion, committed to opposing the Empire’s tyranny.

In both The Mandalorian and the Ahsoka series, she continues her fight against rising dark forces, steadfast in her dedication to the light side, even as she operates independently of the traditional Jedi structures.

While Ahsoka rejects the dogma of the Jedi Order and acts as a maverick, her core beliefs remain firmly aligned with the light. This makes her more of an independent Force user than a true Gray Jedi.